The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-09-21
The Great Napoleon.

On the oath of July, 1915, seventy-two
years ago. says a writer in the st. Louis
Globe D1sosra, the British man-of-war
Bellerophon, the Emperor Napoleon on
board, anchored at Torbay, on the south
coast of England, and Napoleon was
prisoner of war. As early as at Wagram
Napoleon showed that his intellect had
passed It's prime. From that time he was
not himself. His Waterloo campaign
was feeble. He was irresolute. He abdi-
Gated prematureIy. After his abdication,
and while yet at Paris, he displayed
timidity. From Paris he proceeded to
Roehefort, on the west coast of France.
with about $4,000 in gold, with the in
tention of going to America. At that
date he would have been one of the
rich men in this country. He reached
Rochefort ON July 8. Not only precious
hours but precious days slipped by. At
last escape, which might have been easy,
became impossible.
Probably If was well. In this country
he might have wrought mischief On
July "A he became Engiand's prisoner of
war. As he had been an Emperor il was
not thought proper TO confine him as 4
felon. Yet, in violation of his pledge. he
had stealthily escaped from Elba and
caused blood to flow ike water at Quatre
Bras, at Ligny and at Waterloo. 1t would
be a crime against Europe and against
humanity to trust him again on his
honor Royal though he had been, he
must be confined so that another escape
would be impossible. The place of his
detention was determined upon after
full deliberation, and was determined
wisely. NapoleOn's known intolerance
to cold was considered IN fixing upon a
tropical island. ST. Helena is an island
cast up 10y volcanic eruption. 1t is
mostly rocky, with few narrow valleys.
II is perhaps dozen miles in circumfer-
ence, and in 1915 contained about 1000
inhabitants. On account of its rocky
bleakness it is rarely visited by ships-a
fact making it more secure as a royal
prison. When Napoleon was told that
he was prisoner of war he affected
surprise. Great Britain behaved gener-
ously, and Napoleon was allowed 10 take
with him as companions three military
and one civil friend, and their families,
one physician and twelve servants, to be
kept at England's expense. He selected
Marshal Bertrand, Count Monthelon,
General Courg and NJ de La Gases as
his companions The support Of this
company cost England yearly about
100000. This does not include the
enormous expense of keeping at the
island a governor with his retinue,
regiment of soldiers and a fleet.
On August s the fleet sailed from the
English Channel for st. Helena. and on
October Il Napoleon first stepped upon
the island where he was to die. He
lodged for time in little valley cottage
called the Briars. More spacious accom-
modation was soon after provided. Soon
Napoleon began his misbehsyiour.
Cockburn was kindhearted and generous.
but be had his duty in keeping Napoleon
under guard. Napoleon. with the smallest
capacity, should have seen this and
respected IT, But he would not Cock
burn furnished him horse, and offered
a wide latitude in which to ride, but
added that if he approached within a
certain distaneeof the beach he woull be
attended by British officer. Napoleon
affected to regard this limitation as an
insult, and, with childish pettishne
refused to ride at all. Then came fault
finding as unjust as it was undignitied
After the fashion of the vulgar, he thought
it smart 10 use nicknames, and called
Lord Cockburn the shark" Daily he
repaid generosity with ingratitude, polite
ness with insolence.
Napoleon did not desire to escape. He
himself said that he had lived 50 long in
the eyes of the world that he could not
live without being talked about; that TO be
buried in privacy in the wilds of America
would be unendurlble, and that since he
could not now occupy a throne he was
greater as a prisoner on that rock than
he could be elsewhere.
In 1920 his health began to fail visibly;
his circulation became feeble Physicians
prescribed. He had no confidence and
refused medicine He said he would
die Of disease, but not of medicine In
April 1921, be grew worse daily He
daily spent hours in the bath, which
weakened him. His ewes were sunken;
his color was livid. He saw his end at
hand. As he was worth more than 81
100000, which in our time would be
several millions, he made will in which
he expressed his hatred and vindicated
his crimes. He denounced his bad
hearted brother Louis as liar
On Nav I, lS2l, his hours were
evidently numbered. He took no food,
and frequently vomited black matter.
He had spasms and raging thirst. He
was too week TO speak, and besides his
tongue and lips were incapable of articu-
lation. 50 that his faint mutterings were
unintelligible. The 9Th dawned as sunny
and tranquil day as ever dawned On
that island. All day long Napoleon lay
as in ii stupor. 1t was evident that that
day was his last. At $40 in the evening.
just As the bright sun from cloudless
sky was about 70 dip into the ocean, a
Catholic priest standing near, while I
friends wept around his couch, without
one motion, without even the death
rattle, the prisoner was released
Couldn't Stand Both.